It's Got to be Stockholm Syndrome or Something
by superheroninjadinosaurs
Summary: Roxas was just seventeen, still just an orphaned kid, and yet he made the decision to leave and get in the truck of a criminal. It was all in the sake of finding his birth parents; it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact he was completely infatuated with a red-haired man who could kill him in the slightest…
1. Day 1

Hmmm… let's see. It's sort of AU, you'll see. Aha

Disclaimer: not my characters. Nope none of 'em.  
Warning: violence, language, criminal activity, and yeah… stuff around those lines.

* * *

The huge metal beast settled in its spot as the rumbling and vibrating halted, "you're here. Now get out." The baby faced blonde looked over at the trucker who just spoke. He couldn't be serious. There was no way the next world was a mere twenty miles away. Sure, the blonde had never been outside of anywhere, but he heard rumors that it took weeks to drive from place to place. He swallowed in disbelief. "What're you waiting for? Get out. This is your stop, kid." His voice was harsh like sandpaper as he pointed to a sign that read, 'Twilight Town.'

"This isn't right? You said you could take me to the next world. This is just the World's limits!" he was astonished but followed the truck driver out of the long haul anyway. His raggedy boots crunched in the forming snow and he instantly lost a good six inches, making it hard to tail after the man currently fixing his hat and spitting off to the distance.

"You're broke. You 'ain't have a dime to feed yourself and neither do I. I'm not getting arrested for not feeding your pipsqueak ass." The man snorted as he looked over at the too short blonde in disgust. "And don't get me wrong, kid. But your kind isn't welcome in a lot of places. It'd just cause me trouble. So hurry up and get lost."

The blonde folded his arm and glared at the greasy black haired man disappearing into the twenty-four-hour-convenience store, "My name's not kid! It's Roxas!" he called to no avail. He scoffed. His kind. _His kind._ His kind were people too, he knew they had to be, even if he'd never met anyone who could do the things he could. Where was he going to go? What was he going to do with himself now? It was the dead of winter and pitch black outside. He felt is stomach knot up in fear as the light posts flickered in the chilling cold wind, but he still didn't know what to do with himself. Did he follow the trucker until he either drove off or let him back in, did he sit out in the cold and just wait until his appendages slowly froze in a black painful mess, or did he hike back to his orphanage? He let out a breath watching it tangle in itself in the air before a blinding white head lights clouded his vision, he squinted at the sheer brightness of it all before they blacked out and the driver glared hard at Roxas. Roxas remembered his place and even the words the truck driver said and the lights came back, and so did a loud honk that reverberated off every single snow flake and forced the blonde to flinch.

"Freak!" the driver yelled as he turned into a road across from the convenience store. Roxas blinked, and then swallowed thickly as the impulse to follow the car took over him. His boots crunched almost deafeningly as he trailed after the car that was too far ahead now to even really see. His eyes dilated in the frozen darkness until his ears twitched. _Was that music?_ He tucked his hand further into himself in a desperate attempt to keep warm; _should have taken gloves with me. _ His teeth chattered and his shoulders shook with every step. He felt like lead, but he couldn't stop, he smelt the warmth emanating from ahead before he could even see the bright blaring lights that danced around the sky from a rundown looking bar. His eyes focused on the nameless place and as he did he was vaguely aware that whatever the sound was… it was vibrating in his core.

Before long he pushed through heavy steel doors and the smell of cheap booze sweat, cigarette smoke, something that he couldn't even begin to put a name to, and blood invaded all of his senses. He felt nauseated with every motion he made, every step of his legs, and every breath. He felt his lungs burning and aching with the desperate need for clean air. He placed his hand over his mouth and nose as he examined the strange building, not wanting to brave the cold just yet. There were grungy little tables placed haphazardly every which way and stools that should have long expired. Perhaps a floor might have existed but it felt like it was melting under each step he took; whatever it was sticking to the soles of his thick boots. Men scattered everywhere but most of them were crowded around a rusted cage that touched from floor to ceiling. The shaking and rattling in the cage along with a few low growls, had his mind reeling, maybe he had walked into a dog fight; in that case he should just walk out. The thought of two hopeless mindless creatures attacking each other until one of them couldn't move, or even died was enough to get his stomach turning again. Men were shouting so loud and the music that was used to cover up that from the outside was splitting his eardrums. All their faces were focused on the cage, and even if he didn't want to see, he had to. He had to know and he had to now. The small male was struggling through the sea of men sending him dirty looks as they stepped aside, some not all that willing to move.

He finally made it to the elevated cage and blue eyes settled on the two forms captive inside. Mouths pulled back, showing off angry teeth, snarling, and hair bristling with every attack, and the most horrifying part; they were both human. The blonde's eyes darted around crazily from each person to the next trying to discern between the two. In a haze they were lunging at each other, grabbing at exposed necks, and kneeing every chance they got, fists flying, and crashing to already sweating and bruised flesh as they grit their teeth harder, refusing to let out anymore than a grunt when they should have been regurgitating the whole of their stomachs with each blow. Roxas had never seen anything like it, and he had been in a few scraps himself; he gasped softly as his blue orbs settled onto the seemingly shorter male and he dodged a fist sent his way to be only met with a knee to his nose. It didn't bleed and it was the most astonishing thing, seeing as it sent him reeling back, and it was then that Roxas realized how stunning this creature was, because surely something that didn't bleed from that couldn't be human. His vermillion hair spiked up in every which way and his piercing green eyes accompanied by high cheekbones and a narrow jaw. Those eyes didn't have any emotion in them, but the acid in them was sloshing around with every move he made. His upside down teardrop purple tattoos seemed almost black against the harsh lighting, but Roxas knew better than that. His every muscled flexed and contracted with every cat like movement and didn't even seem impacted by the blows he was receiving, and in the ones he was dealing. Roxas swallowed again, holding back the bile he felt rising at the sight of blood oozing out of a cut on his cheek. _So he is human_. He whipped at it before he grabbed the other male's bearded face. He screamed in disgust, curling and twisting with pain; the only real noise either of them seemly let out. The crowd grew quiet at this. His larger hands grasped and clawed hopelessly at the slender fingers that were being crushed into his face. The blonde's eyes widened in complete horror. He was begging… for it to stop. _How much pain could that grip inflict?_ The red-head grinned wolfishly, another thing Roxas would have been taken aback at if given a different situation, before smashing their skulls together. The burly man slumped to the ground twitching and silently crying as his hands hovered over his face. The redhead didn't let out a sound as the cage doors were opened and he stepped out cracking his neck.

The flesh or what was left of it was shriveling up and bubbling over with blood and just oozing as he writhed in pain and no one was helping him. Roxas could imagine every nerve ending on fire and no way to alleviate the pain. Bone was showing and in a few places huge chunks of cheek muscles were burnt and the sight was enough to actually have the blonde heaving up acid onto the ground. It would have been food if he had eaten in the last forty eight hours. Everything was painfully slow from that point on as he stood clutching onto the cement ledge and trying desperately to get that image out of his head. He stood on shaky legs and forced himself out of the place that didn't even have a name. The cold air was refreshing as the world spun around him in a dizzy mess. Maybe it wasn't the sight of a man's burning flesh and skin seemingly falling to bits as he twisted and cried in pain with no one to help him, maybe it was the sickening smell he couldn't put a name to. It was vomit inducing from the very beginning, but being out in the frozen night air allowed his head to start working again and lungs to fully expand. Roxas had never been surer of anything in his whole life than when he decided to never go back in there again.

"You should have stopped, gods, Ax, you never know when to just fucking stop." A pained voice murmured around the blonde and he glanced up from his boots and stiff laces. The red-head. He was holding a hand to his head and the other griping onto an envelope in the other. "He's going to be faceless for the rest of his damn life, and over what a couple hundred?" he held the envelope to his face and then dropped it to his side again. It was like he was talking to someone, but no one else was there to listen. The redhead kicked up some powdery white snow and then cursed wildly. Then suddenly a laugh that was lost in itself and far off in some other world was let run freely into the empty street that was leading back to the convenience store where Roxas originated. _It's a gorgeous laugh. _

Roxas swallowed and kept his hands pressed down in his pocket scratching against the single thing he had with him, and kept his eyes trailed to the ground, letting his peripheral vision seek out the redhead. After another exhausting heave in the snow they were back on the main Road and the redhead stopped his murmurings and instead took up letting long vines of smoke tangle in the air. Roxas took this as his opportunity to let his eyes wander over the red-head's form once again. It must have been twenty degrees outside and yet his chest and back was bear. His black jeans hanging low on his hips before tucking into military styled tan combat boots. Every muscle on his back, covered in vines of scars, flexed with each movement as he jogged across the street to the convenience store. Roxas blinked as he quickly followed him, still a little dizzy. The blaring lights around him hurt his sensitive eyes as he squinted, the lights dimming slightly again. Roxas gulped scrunching his eyes again and the lights returned to their full power as he stumbled into the little store, not even aware of the dinging of a bell. His eyes briefly scanned the place. White tiled floors covered in sticky cleaner, shelves of bags of sugar and salt and fat, and maybe if he searched hard enough something healthy. In the back held liquids by the gallon, and it was then that he realized just how dry his mouth was or how much the back of his throat burned or the horrible filmy taste and feel that left lingering on his tongue. The cashier watched him lazily as he scuttled to the back and opened the fogged glass door. His eyes darted around the drinks, as if deciding on the overwhelming amount of liquids. His numb fingers reached out to a small bottle of water, closed the doors quickly, and then glanced around again, before nervously stuffing the bottle in his inner coat pocket. He glanced up to see the red-head's venomous eyes staring at him with amusement as his still shirtless form lent against the frozen doors, arms crossed. He wanted to let out a scream, but it got caught in his dry throat. _He wasn't there before. _

The red-head outstretched his arm, beckoning for Roxas to give him the drink with a single leather glove covered finger. Roxas sighed defeated and handed the stranger the bottle, expecting him to put it back in the cooler and make him leave, but instead he held it in his hand and walked away with it. He didn't even say a word, barely made eye contact with him, and yet Roxas was already infatuated with him. The same man who didn't have any human tendencies while confined to his cage, the same man who chard off another man's face with his bare hands. He blinked slowly at that thought; Trailing After the lanky man who was standing in front of a row of chips, bottle in hand and a pack of gum. _I have to know him._ The blonde tried his hardest to keep quiet and stay hidden, but his hopes were shot down when the red-head's silk voice settled in his ears, "Stalking is considered a perversion in many worlds." He didn't look up.

"I— sorry— just… how did you do it?" his voice was raspy and shaky, no matter how hard he tried to even his voice. There was no response to his question, not a blink of his eyes, not even the micro movement of tissue under his cut cheek, which had clotted over already. He merely walked away down another isle searching for what he needed, "I saw you… in the bar." To that the man let out a growl that was taken as a laugh. "You and that man; how did you do it? Why did you do it?" his voice was carrying in the stilled silence of the small convenience store. Nothing but a heavy sigh as the red-head scratched at his wounded cheek before he bent down to the box of doughnuts. "You burned off his face, you know? I just want to know how you did it." This sudden bluntness from the blonde caused the red-head to fumble with the items in his hand before he turned; poisonous green eyes burrowing into Roxas petrified blue one's, daring him to say something else.

"_Fuck off_." He growled baring his teeth again, before he turned and headed for the cash register. Roxas felt his whole body become paralyzed with those two simple words. He stood frozen in place letting that phrase fully settle in, wondering how and why the red-head seemed so threatening. Maybe it was the fact that with those words he had basically admitted that he had done it, and it was his entire fault, and no one was supposed to talk about it, and Roxas shouldn't have had the audacity to bring it back up. But he did; and now he was cautiously moving to the front, watching the red-head walk away, leaving the bottle of water paid for on the counter. The little bell dinged as he left and Roxas just had to follow him again, bottle in hand, not making eye contact with the tired cashier. He would thank him… possibly. Just a few feet away in the parking lot, just next to the same slot Roxas' previous trucker had abandoned him, was a little blue pickup truck, which had no doubt seen better days. It was littered in dents and paint eroded away with rust, and the red-head was opening the nearly crushed in door and heaving his belonging in the thing, before he placed a fresh cigarette to his lips, the tip glowing in the night air as soon as it came in contact with his swollen lower lip. This action relaxed him as he strolled away from his vehicle to the side of the building labeled 'restrooms.' Not paying any mind to the blonde gulping down the water until his stomach couldn't hold a single drop more, but the bottle was still half full. _When will I ever eat again? _The blonde frowned at his ever shrinking stomach.

Roxas waited there in front of the building for a moment longer before tip toeing to the best of his ability in six inches of snow to the baby blue truck. His fingertips brushed past the metal as he peered inside the bed of the truck. A grey tarp covered everything, and the blonde wasn't happy with it in the slightest. He pivoted to glance back at the 'restrooms' sign before he pulled it back; A wool blanket that looked to be very itchy a metal box below the back window and a few articles of clothing left to bear the weather. He let out a yawn, not realizing it until then, how incredibly tired he was. His whole being felt heavy and dense and his lids wouldn't stay up any longer. His gaze took a moment to focus on the watch around his wrist; 2:35 am. He pulled down his navy blue coat back to cover as much of his hands as he could, cover the stolen watch as well. If the trucker was going to kick him out, he was at least going to take something with him. _He deserved it. _And before he knew what he was doing, he was heaving himself over the edge and flopping down in the bed of the truck. It was warmer than he had expected, as he snuggled up to the itchy plaid wool blanket left there, and pulled the Tarp over all of him, sealing out the wind and the cold and even the snow that started falling again. Once cocooned inside he inhaled deeply; ashes and burnt out birthday candles, mint, grease and oil, and somewhere hidden under all that what was left of gun powder. For a moment he forgot about the what, where, and why he was and just let that smell comfort him, after all, he knew he was Warm and full to the brim with water, and safer than he would be if he had just stayed out in the unforgiving winter nights. He drifted in and out of consciousness as he was lulled to sleep with the rumbling of the truck as it pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

I… just… I'm not proud of myself for starting yet another one, but it could be worse. I have three more outlined out the ass, and ready to go. And as much as I try to resist. I can't. I think it's because I have writer's block, or something. So bear with me.

Well, hope you enjoyed my starting of this.

Be sure you leave a review, or alert, or fav… or something. ;D


	2. Day 2

Disclaimer: I don't own these people. so yeah  
Warning: huh. Nothing bad really actually in this one.

Oh and anyone who doesn't know what "Stockholm syndrome" is; the simplest way I can put it is when a 'victim' becomes emotionally attached to their 'captor/abuser.' For reasons as to stay alive, or stay unharmed. C: (also if anyone has a better grasp, feel free to share.)

_Italicized words are characters thoughts. Mostly Roxas's. _

" _parenthetical italicized words are emphasized words." _

_Centered italicized words are Axel's flash backs. Just Axel's.  
This will come in handy later._

Now onward!

* * *

"Well, they do say," The red-haired man groaned as he lent into the back of his pickup truck, ripping the tarp away, "if you feed a stray," his gloved hands reached out and scooped up the blonde boy sleeping peacefully, "it'll follow you home." And with that hot breath ghosting over the blonde's cheek he started to stir, groaning at the blaring morning sunlight. The red-head wasted no time in depositing the small form on the thick iced over snow with a loud thump. Dusking his hands off when the task was done.

The blonde yelped up at the sudden contact with the cold air and even colder snow, "what the hell!?" he yelled, flopping around in the snow like a fish out of water, all his limbs flying everywhere as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. White and pale blue and then a flash of blood red out of the corner of his eye. His head snapped up to see the same man from the night before looking back at him, yet another cigarette dangling off his lips.

"I noticed you… in my truck, and kid, last thing I need are cops up my ass for kidnapping. So get lost." He jerked his thumb to the highway full of cars passing by lazily, not even sparing a second glance at the two on the side of the road.

The blonde stood, brushing off snow and sending a weak glare at the tall stranger. "What?" he sputtered, "This is the middle of nowhere! I don't even know when, let alone where the next World is. I don't even know the names of any of most the other worlds! How can you just leave me here?" his eyes darted around to the highway, back to the dead trees on the side, and finally to the red-head's face which held no emotion at all; completely blank.

"That's not my problem, kid; I'm not the one who decided to be a stowaway." Smoke came pouring out of his nostrils with every word. He flicked the ash away and shifted on his heels.

"It was cold. And I have nowhere to go now and I don't have any money or anything, what was I supposed to do?" he felt heat rising to his cheeks every time his voice got caught in his throat, making his voice sound as if it were still cracking.

"Go home to your parents, use a payphone and call the cops to take you home, something. If you're going to run away from home at least be smart about it." his eyes still didn't hold any emotion in it, but his voice carried the same tone a parent would use when scolding their child.

Roxas's blue eyes met with the white snow dejectedly, "I've no parents to go home to. I'm an orphan. "

"Sucks for you… now beat it. I'd like it to not look like I came all the way out here to abandon some kid like you." He tossed the cigarette butt to the snow, watching the last of the small flame eat away at the snow before sizzling away.

Roxas huffed, crossed his arms and tossed a glance back at the older male, "you're an ass," a _gorgeous one_, "and that's exactly what you're doing. I might not know very much about the law, but I know it already looks like you've abducted me, so now you have no choice but to take me with you."

The red-head let out a chuckle, "blackmail doesn't really go over that well with me, so you might want to watch your mouth, kid." Despite the previous laugh his words were growled out between perfectly white teeth gritted together in a sickening smile. Roxas almost backed down, but his fear weighed heavy on his limbs and locked him in place. Everything inside of the blonde told him to run and to get away from that man, because no one should be able to pull off that set of facial expressions all at once. Roxas tried to hold his gaze but he was quick to let it drop to the ground again, falling silent as the man walked the few steps to the beaten up door.

The blonde swallowed down his fears as he took a step towards the red-head, watching him get in the car and roll down the window, spitting in the snow, "YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE ME HERE LIKE THIS! IT'S NOT RIGHT!" he shouted shaking at the knees. He knew this man was trouble, just by the look in his eyes, the way he was completely calm and livid all at once and how easily he flitted between the two, but Roxas couldn't stop himself from being drawn to it all. The car rattled to life and started up down the Road. Roxas took off after him, not being able to keep up in the deep snow and heavy clothing, which was just being a hindrance rather than keeping him actually warm. "HOW CAN YOU JUST LEAVE ME HERE LIKE THIS? I'LL DIE OUT HERE!" he caught the flickering of green eyes in his rearview mirror through the back glass. "PLEASE! JUST TAKE ME WITH YOU!"

_Please, just take me with you._

The truck abruptly halted, and a smile broke out onto the blonde's face as he ran up to the car and let his frozen fingertips fiddle with the passenger side door for a moment too long. The red-head rolled his eyes before flicking the lock open and the blonde clambered in, smile still on his lips. "Now before you get ahead of yourself, kid. I didn't change my mind because you said you would die; guilt trips also don't work on me. I did it because you were making a scene, and someone saw my face." that wasn't the real reason why, but the red-head didn't need Roxas to know that. Roxas nodded and with trembling fingers clicked his seatbelt in place. His feet hardily touched the ground and he was sure he was sitting on expired food or important paperwork as he shifted around. The seats were made out of a material he didn't recognize and the same smell of burnt out birthday candles, ashes, and oil invaded his nose. A simple worn out radio sat falling out of its home and the high dashboard was covered in a random assortment of cigarette boxes, gum wrappers, and bloodied napkins. As soon as his eyes settled onto the blood he cringed, ready to choke out more bile. The car rumbled to life again as it slowly pulled back out onto the main highway.

"My name's Roxas." he nearly whispered, and the red-head eyed him in passing.

"Didn't ask for your name, kid."

"Not a kid."

"Didn't ask that either."

Roxas shifted in his seat again, not knowing really what to do, "I'm hungry." He stated more to himself than anything.

The red-head let out a snort, tossing him a stick of mint gum, "there's a box of doughnuts in the glove box, and when you're done shove this in your mouth, you're breath is rancid."

"I threw up last night…" Came the blonde's weak response as he took the gum and fiddled with the glove box until a box of glazed doughnuts came into view. His mouth watered at the sight of real food in what felt like forever, he swore he dreamt of food the night before. He couldn't remember his dream, but he was almost sure. The red-head grunted in response as he kept his eyes on the road. "So uhm… what's your name?" he didn't receive an answer so he swallowed down another doughnut, and sipped carefully at his water bottle. "Where are we going?" still nothing, except now the red-head started tapping on the steering wheel. "Why are we going?" the rhythmic tapping picked up and Roxas opened his mouth to speak again, "why were you in that bar last night?"

Axel cut an icy glare in his direction, "My name is Axel. We are going where ever the hell I feel like going. And we're going because I need that money those little 'bars' provide, and to avoid getting spotted. Got it memorized?" when Roxas kept his lips sewn closed he continued, "good. Now keep your damn mouth closed. I'm not in the fucking mood to play twenty questions with a fourteen year-old."

"I'm seventeen." The blonde whispered under his breath, about to say something more, when he noticed Axel's nostrils flare and a heavy sigh escape his body. Roxas opted for watching him carefully. Eyes trained on the Road, high cheekbones with a scab forming just under his tattoos, and locks of uncombed hair cascading beautifully around his shoulders. Roxas tilted his head when he spotted the engraved roman numerals on the side of his neck through the strains of sun-dyed-copper hair, wondering what would make anyone want to have such a thing branded into their body. _VIII. Such a strange thing to get done._ Before he could stop his mouth was opening on its own accord, "why's that on your neck?"

The red-head's hand instantly flew up to the spot where the number resided, wincing as he did, as if touching it still caused pain, "none of your damn business." Roxas flinched at the anger in his voice, shivering at how cold he felt. _How cold is it anyway? How's he not cold. _Then Roxas noticed the simple grey flannel unbuttoned hanging limply from his form. Roxas felt frostbite creeping in on his fingers and toes just at the sight of the red-head almost looking like he was too hot as he rubbed one last time at the number. His thin fingers held onto the steering wheel again wrapped in worn out leather gloves. Roxas quickly recalled how he wasn't wearing them when he… _when he burnt that man's face off. _The blonde grew ill as the image flitter across his memory, begging him to purge everything in his stomach. But he couldn't do that; he wouldn't let himself be over taken by that feeling. He needed to keep the food down. He didn't know the next time he'd be able to eat, or even when they would stop so the blonde could relieve himself. Roxas grit his teeth together and looked away sharply, fearing if he looked at the red-head too long he catch him staring and force him out. So his blue eyes settled lazily on the snow falling to the ground below in a haze as they drove past.

He contemplated counting them like he did back home. _Who am I kidding, that place wasn't a home. It was barely a house._ Or maybe he would have named them; giving each little snowflake their own personal back story to go with it. Anything to pass the time really. He squinted down at the blearing whiteness and he felt funny just staring out at snow and not doing anything, but regardless he watched the outside world pass by, smiling at the strange feeling he got deep in his gut when he would forget that he was actually the one moving. He breathed out against the window watching it fog up and doodling a small smiley face in the corner.

He pictured his old friend Olette scolding him for leaving finger prints on windows, and then he pictured another blonde like himself, Hayner telling Olette to relax and let them have some fun, and then Roxas frowned. _I won't ever see them again. _He swallowed and readjusted himself in his seat, carving out each and every nook and cranny of this truck he was in and the person sitting next to him in his brain. He didn't know for how long, but this was his new home and he needed to get used to the cold as stone man next to him, and the draft the damaged door let in, and even the uncomfortable silence that settled around them and cuddled up to the blonde, breathing down the back of his neck forcing the hair there to prick up. Maybe if he tried his luck just a little bit more, he'd find what he needed, and get where he wanted to be. He didn't know exactly where that was either, but he desperately wanted to be there. His cold finger tips brushed past the photo paper in his pocket as if it gave him comfort knowing it was there, and he didn't need to even look at it. He contented himself with smoothing his greasy fingers over the corner of it and watching the things pass him by for many hours, even when his eyes grew numb to the color white.

Hours passed like that. The change in scenery had the blonde shooting up right in his seat, eyes searching for anything that indicated where they were, but to no avail. "What's your problem kid, you look like a damn scared rabbit?"

"I— I just wanted to know where we were." He slumped back in his seat when a small motel came into view on the side of the road and no response. The building looked dingy and dirty, and not at all appealing, but what did Roxas know about appealing? Nothing. And yet, he eyed it in disgust, taking in all the brick with Mold resistant to the cold growing in all the cracks, and paint peeling away, and how warped all of the wooden doors to the rooms looked, and how dingy the ugly floral curtains looked from a distance, insuring they were hideous up close and personal. They pulled into a spot on the side of the building, Roxas wrinkling his nose when the smell of something sickeningly sweet and filthy wafted through his nose. It reminded him of how that bar smelt, only ten times worse when it was accompanied by the wet dog smell that just hung in the air.

Axel stepping out of the truck and put a cigarette to his lips, the flame catching almost instantly, taking a small grey book bag with him from under his seat, "I'm gunna take care of some business in here. I don't give a fuck what you do around this rinky-dink town, but if you're planning on staying in it for the long haul, be back before sundown. I'm leaving then. And I'm not waiting up for your ass, got it memorized, kid?"

"Roxas." he said defiantly, earning him a large puff of smoke in his face, and a growl before the red-head disappeared off out of view. _Did he have a room reserved or something? _The blonde shortly got out of the car noticing that although the red-head to took the keys with him, he didn't bother locking the doors, so neither did he. He tucked himself further into his coat trying to keep out the cold as much as possible as he surveyed the small town. Motel, gas station, fast food joint, an abandoned looking church, a few houses, a few pale people, but mostly nothing. Roxas had heard about these places. They were little places between the worlds. They didn't operate on any laws and the people were a little backwards in their thinking, and outsiders weren't welcomed. He headed off in the direction of the gas station pulling the picture out of his pocket. _Maybe I'll get some answers today. _He glanced down and the color-faded photograph in his hands.

The man in the photo looked exactly like Roxas, only exception was the slightly longer hair, and the girl… she was drop dead gorgeous, and her pregnant belly did nothing to impair that fact. Her long black hair and smile radiated out from the picture, both hands held lovingly over her belly. They were both in white shirts and blue jeans, and splattered in paint. They were standing against a brick wall of a school with a mural of a fantastical pirate ship. And these high schooler's faces frozen in time were his parents— His nameless parents. The only thing he ever had of them.

If it wasn't for this picture, he wouldn't even know what they look like; he'd grown up in that forsaken orphanage all his life. He turned it over tracing his fingers over the running black ink. _"To: my baby, Roxas. Mommy and daddy loves you. Never forget." _It was the only reason he knew what his name was. He scoffed at the soft script, _if you loved me why did you give me up? _It wasn't a fair question; he didn't care. He tucked it back in his pocket as he crossed the street, he might have felt bitter whenever he read the back of the photograph, but deep down he knew he loved these people with all of his heart, and he just had to know who we was and who they were, and why they kept such a huge part of his life out of the fine print on the back.

The blonde scuttled into the gas station and wondered around a bit, taking note of the lack of cameras over head and inattentive person manning the front counter. He took his time scanning the isles of the empty place, trying not to drag attention to himself, as he spotted the small hygiene section. He was quick to grab a travel sized toothbrush and toothpaste tube. It had nearly been three days since the last time he brushed his teeth, and he could still feel the bile eating away at them. _Wish I thought it through. Wish I brought a bag. _He grumbled as he fingered the rusted knob of the restroom, pushing back the heavy door and breathing in the horrible gas station bathroom smell. He frowned as he turned the sink on, water spraying everywhere in the broken faucet getting his navy colored Coat wet. He cursed lowly shaking his head and with shakingly numb fingers undid all the packaging and proceeded to brush his teeth. Ten times. He brushed until his gums grew swollen and started to bleed, which caused him to gag and the whole routine to start over again. When he deemed his mouth clean enough he tucked the stolen goods into his pocket and strolled out, casually stuffing whatever food he passed into his pockets, and left without a word.

A break in the clouds and watch on his wrist told him it was the late afternoon, and even so the sun didn't look like it felt like setting. He found it strange that in the winter the sun didn't set earlier. Roxas stopped keeping track of time as he stumbled over person after person, stopping and asking them if they had seen the people in the photograph, or if they knew where the school was or anything. But no one knew a thing or no one said a thing to him, just walked away shaking their head murmuring, 'degenerates.' Occasionally he ran into a person who simply stated they knew nothing, but wished him the best of luck.

After an exhausting day of asking for his parents, not even having a name for them, he started on the trek back to the motel. The sunset was muted a cold pink and orange and the snow picked up again, cutting his skin with the help from the wind. He drew his nose down deep in his coat's collar breathing in the warm pocket of air that formed between his shirt and his coat. He couldn't feel his fingertips any more as they grasped absentmindedly at food lining his coat pockets. _No one knew a thing. I don't think I'll ever find them._ He sighed dejectedly as the neon red Motel sign came into view, contrasting with the now dark night sky. He was a little late, just a little, maybe Axel had run late, maybe he lost track of time too, not noticing when the sun had set, and maybe he was still safe. He held his breath as he broke into a light jog stopping in the parking lot. _He's still there. He's got to be. I'll freeze to death if he's not._

Axel wouldn't leave him. He couldn't leave him. He let out his breath as it tangled in the frosted air as he took heavy steps to the curb. He was swamped with feelings he didn't recognize and it didn't make any sense as to why his eyes refused to see what he was looking eyes darted crazily around the parking lot trying to search out for the red-head and the truck. His head started spinning and his world started caving around him, noises around him didn't make any sense and the lights started flicking in and out of view, fading from one iridescent color to the next, but he couldn't stop himself. His stomach twisted and curled into tight little knots as it finally struck him; the truck wasn't there _to_ be seen. _Shouldn't have expected him to be here; should have known better. _And he was right, he should have known better.

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Oh, by the way. This isn't going to be a happy story if you can't already tell. It will have its happy moments though. So yeah… oh! And any stone left unturned will be well… turned, but if anything confuses you or something, just ask. I don't bite.

And there you go my lovelies (:  
anyway just saying that these chapters have been outlined thoroughly, and I have no intention of keeping the chapters a consistent length. So if it takes me 900 words or 9,000 to get across what's happening in a chapter that's exactly what will happen. C: bear with me.

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To my reviewers whom I am already in love with:

NakanoHana: aha thank you c: I do get carried away with giant paragraphs when no one's speaking, and it is rather donting to look at, so I broke them up more this chapter. Hope it helped c:

Guest: aw gee thanks, I hope it gets better too :D

ewonsama: eeee, all your reviews make me oh so very happy c: so thank you

BlissfulGP: gosh, you make me blush with your compliments. / and I hope I continue to captivate you.

Pleased reader: at first I read that as 'appalled' instead of 'applaud,' so I was completely confused by the rest of your review. Aha. But I got it right. Thank you and I hope you keep loving it.


	3. Day 3

Disclaimer: yup. Still don't own them.  
Warning: hmmm… language, mentions of violence, sexual content, break downs, mentions of drug and alcohol use, near death stuff… yeah…

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Clumsily, almost foolishly the blonde forced his numb body pushing forward to the curb. He kept moving, cloth covering his toes scraping against the ice covering the asphalt and onto the side walk. He blinked world still in a blur and neon signs still filtering through all the colors of the rainbow. When he finally reached the raised cement he dropped to the ground body trembling and shaking with every breath. _He left me. He really left me. I'm alone. Alone. _He felt sick to his stomach and his brain flopped around within its prison. _Cold and alone. _He shivered letting out his breathing in harsh wisps as he wrapped his arms around his knees, tucking his head down. He hadn't anticipated such a reaction; he'd barely known the man for little over a day, and he already felt abandoned. He knew he shouldn't have expected him to stay or wait for him, hell Axel already said he wouldn't stay. But he still did. His teeth chattered together horribly, _I need to calm down. I need to calm down or someone will notice. _Between shaking breaths he yawned out and let his eyes close for a second. _I always get sleepy after… _he shivered noticing the colors of his boots slowly return to normal, no longer blaring their blue undertones. His body spent an exhausted from his body's tantrum his muscles slowly relaxed, but never fully adjusting to the cold. And that is how he fell asleep. Body curled tight on itself head tucked down and snow starting to cover him in thin blankets.

Minutes could have passed, or maybe even hours, when a warm intoxicated breath washed over the blonde, forcing him to wrinkle his nose in his sleep and shift, starting to wake up, "hey kid, ya' look'ike a wreck." The voice drawled and the blonde's head snapped up, eyes straining to focus on huge black pools outlined in a thin toxic green. He knew those eyes, but he didn't know that look that accompanied them. He backed away slowly, standing to his feet.

"A-axel? I thought you left me?" he didn't like that look; he didn't like it in the slightest. His eyes were too large, much too large to be focusing on anything properly. All the light pouring in around them must have been giving him a head-ache, but the red-head wasn't squinting at all. A predatory grin swept across his thin chapped lips, as his hands clasped down over his hips.

"Nah… I jus' had 'ta take a lil trip. Ya' know. People 'ta see." he swayed slightly, leaning into the blonde as he spoke, voice a tab louder than it probably should have been for whatever time it was. Roxas had to cover his nose, the fermented smell lingering on Axel's mouth made him want to gag. The red-head reeked of alcohol and that smell that seemed to be following Roxas around lately.

Roxas tried to speak without breathing, "what people do you know around _here _to see?"

The red-head blinked, confused about what the blonde just said, not fully comprehending its meaning, "jus' come on… I got us a room." he fumbled around in his pants' pocket before pulling out a key to a room. Roxas took to breathing out of his hands and watched Axel's strange behavior as he tripped all the way to the room murmuring things and words and sentences that didn't make sense no matter what context the blonde put them in. they were in the back of the building where the street lights couldn't illuminate, and no other lights seemed to be working either, leaving the two of them to find their way in the dark. Roxas had no problem though, having it be second nature for him to be able to see in the night. Axel on the other hand, was crashing into walls and tripping over dead bushes, and brushing into evergreens.

They reached the room with the same number on the door as etched onto the key, Roxas took it from the red-head's grasped and slid it into the lock, listening to it tumble open and they both fell into the heated room. The temperature in the room almost felt too hot in comparison to the cold Roxas was beginning to adjust to. Roxas sighed in relief as he flicked on the lights and shrugging off his coat, letting it fall to the ground. His soaking boots were sucked in by the squishy carpet and just like he expected, the curtains and bed spreads were hideous beyond all belief. He was vaguely aware of the red-head standing next to him, eyeing him hungrily, and smirk never leaving his lips until it was too late. The red-head had his tall lanky body, still covered in no more than a pair of jeans and grey flannel hovering over the blonde's body. He gulped when his blue eyes met with large black pupils glazed over with a look Roxas couldn't quite pin point. He'd seen it on other people if he thought hard enough about it, but never directed at him. Never. And now Axel stood towering above him, around him, his red mane cascading around his shoulders and prickling the blonde's face, obscuring anything else from view, those eyes and that look peering deep into him. Not letting him go, but also not directly touching him.

"Axel, come on. Get off me." the blonde whispered around a breath. His voice fell on deaf ears. His throat started to restrict with every second that passed, trying not to breathe, because maybe Axel was an animal at this point. Void of any conscious, and only operating on instincts; one's that would hopefully tell him if Roxas wasn't breathing he wasn't alive… and if he wasn't alive he would leave him alone. Unfortunately for the blonde this just caused Axel to grin wider; dead also meant it was time to devour his prey. Axel lent down closer, nibbling the junction between the blonde's neck and shoulder, his expression softening when Roxas let out a low shriek akin to a whimper. Axel looked up, his eyes meeting with Roxas's for a moment. Roxas was sure Axel could hear his heart beat at this point, because the moment those surprisingly warm lips met with his skin his heart felt like it was going to pop right out of his chest. It thumped so loudly he was sure the people in the next room could hear its erratic beating. He'd never felt anything like it, no one ever touched his body like that either, and he was letting Axel be the first; no. Axel was letting himself.

"What's wrong? I thought you liked it when I did that?" Axel's voice was soft and sweet with just a twinge of guilt swimming around. That sentence didn't make sense in the slightest. Something sparking in the back of the blonde's mind told him to get out. And get out now. Because if he didn't— Axel would be doing what he was going now. One gloved hand tangling in the blonde's spikes, and the other stroking his cheek gently, eyes searching his for something the blonde couldn't have possibly possessed.

Despite his fears and reservations, and raw instincts that told him to fly instead of fight… he nuzzled into the touches, and caresses, and soft strokes. They were soft and affectionate and the blonde had never been touched in such a caring way; he couldn't stop himself. After all, what harm would it do to just indulge in those simple touches for a moment longer? He let out his name in a hushed pleading breath almost giving in,

'_Axel.'_

"See… I knew you liked it… just took some time." he murmured against the soft delicate skin, nibbling from his neck to his collar bones, sucking lightly, soaking in every little gasp and whimper the blonde let slip past his lips. Axel trailed his fingers down Roxas's thermal shirt covered chest, getting a feel for the blonde's body.

Roxas shuddered at how gentle Axel was being, as the tightening constricting feeling in the pit of his gut formed. His heart was still hammering away and even jumped when Axel bit rather harshly on his pulse. The blonde's head lulled to the side at this, his eyes squeezing shut. _It feels… good. So good. _Then the red-head stopped, finger lifting his chin up to face him, smiling affectionately at Roxas before his copper eyelashes fluttered closed over what was left of brilliant green irises. His face was gaining closer and closer, and then Axel's lips were just a hair away, as if waiting for the blonde to complete the task, but he couldn't. His neck was his neck, skin that tanned in the summer and paled in the winter, the same skin that covered his body, nothing special, but these… these were his _lips_. And that was going to be an actual kiss. Lips touching lips. Roxas had never been kissed. And his brain swelled at the thought of the daunting task. He was going to kiss Axel; Axel was going to kiss him. His first kiss and he didn't even know how it was supposed to work. _D-do I want him to be my first kiss? _

But before Roxas could make up his mind, Axel's lips were on his. His warm chapped lips covering his own gently in a chaste kiss; only a slight pressure, but it was enough to make the blonde squeak, pulling back. And there it went, his first kiss… to a man he knew one thing about, and even that could be a lie; his name. Somehow though, the blonde quickly realized he didn't mind. His heart hurt, and his lungs ached, and his body was on fire… but he didn't mind that either. It was Axel; a gorgeous creature who was so gentle to him in that moment. Axel was special. Roxas could feel it. And maybe Roxas was special to Axel too.

Axel leaned in for another kiss, and once again Roxas was hesitant to comply, but eventually he did. His lips stayed together tightly when Axel started kissing him more fervently, gradually getting more aggressive. Roxas pulled away panting after a few minutes, having forgotten to breathe. Axel let out a chuckle that made Roxas's knees buckle and he would have collapsed if it wasn't for the hand he hadn't realized until that moment that was holding him up. The red-head was quick to go back to assaulting the blonde's neck, pressing his body closer and closer, until his skin nearly burned Roxas with every shift. Then his leg was forced between the blonde's and his mouth was back on his, tongue lapped at his lips begging for entrance. And Roxas obliged, parting them slowly, regretting it instantly. He was quickly reminded of the taste and smell of alcohol on his breath, lingering with the taste of cigarettes and something to-goodness was just plain awful. He frowned, trying to push the red-head away, but he was having none of that, and pushed further into the blonde.

The red-head's tongue was seeking out the blonde's smiling when he sensed the smaller appendage retreating instead of greeting his. He pulled away, "Now, come on, now's not the time to tease me, it's been such a long time…" Roxas gulped at that, it finally settling in, Axel wasn't kissing Roxas. He was; physically, but his mind was elsewhere, kissing someone else. Roxas wasn't special to Axel, and that kind of stung deep in his heart as well as on the surface. Axel was using him, and suddenly he felt dirty and disgusted with himself for letting a stranger do this to him. His thoughts were thrown away when the red-head started to grind slowly against him, rocking his hips into his, the bulge in his pants nudging against the blonde's inner thigh. He gasped loudly, finally understanding that look, and those kisses, and even the one he was currently in, not being able to break free from. His legs locked in place, and arms not willing to work, just staying clung to the red-head shirt, tightening and knuckles turning white, back still against the wall. he could have bit his tongue, than the red-head would back off, and he would be free, but that would mean blood, and the thought of iron rolling around on his tongue and in his mouth made him sick again, but when Axel Rocked against him again he couldn't help the small gasped that passed through his lips again,

'_Axel… nnnh…'_

He didn't mean to let out that gasp, and he didn't mean to let out the soft moan that followed, and he didn't mean for his own bulge to brush past Axel's, and he didn't mean to kiss him again and again, and he didn't mean to groan when the red-head bit down on his lower lip, and he didn't mean to forget how awful Axel's mouth tasted, and he didn't mean to let his hands caress the marred chest, and he didn't mean to tangle his hands in that perfect vermillion hair, and he didn't mean to let those lips leave those bruises on his neck, and he didn't mean for Axel's hand to slip under the waist band of his too baggy jeans, stroking him though his boxers, as he murmured a name that wasn't Roxas's against his throat, and he didn't mean for it to feel as good and as disgusting as it did. But it did. And it happened. And he couldn't take it back. But the blonde came to his senses when Axel dropped to his knees, fingers starting to slide his pants down.

Roxas panicked; he had let this go far enough. _Don't want this. Don't like this. _The arousal in him died as adrenaline kicked in, he pushed the red-head's hand's away stumbling away, and picking up his coat and taking far too long for his own liking to open the door and run. Run like he'd never run in his whole life. He didn't look back to see Axel's crushed and rejected and even stunned face as he dashed down out down the snow in a mad frenzy to just get away. He wasn't even aware of the tear stains on his cheeks until they burned with how cold it was. It felt colder than it had before; Roxas fumbling with his Coat as his legs hammered against the ground, feet sloshing around and kicking up chunks of snow. Everything passed in a haze, and his lips still ached, and his heart wouldn't shut the hell up with its beating right in his ears, and his body was still on fire, but he didn't stop, not even when he knew the colors around him were warping and the intensity of the street lights shifted. He didn't care about any of it. he just ran as fast as he could, for as far as he could; he wanted nothing more than to be as far away from the red-head as he could get. He did things to his body he didn't understand, did things he'd only heard about, and his body reacted in ways he didn't think just anybody could do. He wanted to scrub his skin raw, but more than that he wanted to keep running. And he did.

He ran until the sun started to rise, and he ran until his legs literally refused to make another step, or his lungs take another panting breath. His body went crashing into the small ally way and crushing a cardboard box already Laden with snow. He curled into the fetal possession on the ground, not being able to even cry. He just lay there curled in on himself, thinking over everything; his mind replaying every single last motion that happened within the confines of that motel room. _How could he do that to me? I'm a kid… just a kid. _It might have been around seven in the morning when the first person passed him, scoffing at his form, muttering about how the trash men needed to do their jobs better. And all Roxas could do was shiver and try to keep warm, body spent again. Exhausted and letting the cold over come him; he needed it. _Deserved it_.

"Shit. Kid, Roxas, kid." Axel called stumbling upon the body covered in alight layer of snow. He broke into a sprint at the sight of the kid curled up on the ground barely breathing. He bent down and picked up the limp body, holding it close to his chest. "Shit, kid. I fucked up bad," he gritted out as he jogged back to the truck left at the end of the street. It felt like forever to the red-head before he was there. He felt a pang of sickening guilt rip through him whenever the blonde's head bounced with every movement, his arm hanging lifelessly to the ground. When he got to his truck he ripped the tarp back with one hand, and yanked out the scruffy blanket, and scuttled to the doors and placing Roxas inside all the way to the passenger side. He shut the doors closed, locking his then leaning over, blanket in arms and reached over to do the same with the other door, before scooping the frozen blonde in a hug, wrapping him tightly in the blankets, flipping the heat on. "Shit. This is gunna take to damn long." He breathed out; hating the fact his car never really had heat or AC at this very moment. He gripped the leather gloves with his teeth ripping them off, showing his slender boney fingers. "Shit. Shit. Fuck. You can't die like this." he murmured like it was the blonde's fault he was in such bad shape, "gotta do this the old fashion way." He pulled the blonde to his chest, holding his head to his heart and snaking one hand into the blanket cocoon, and flush against the blonde's back under his shirt, and the other coiled into his blonde tresses. Axel buried his chin in the spikes, shutting his eyes, and concentrating as hard as he could on raising his body temperature. He had to be very careful with this, he could risk burning the boy, or heating him up to quickly, but if he didn't he would be driving around with a rox-icle for about two days until he could… dispose of the body. He didn't have time for that, and he wanted Roxas to live… needed him to live, just a little longer. He felt delirious at the heat in his body, cheeks going pink, and windows perspiring. He felt _himself _sweating actually; "got to be over two hundred then." he took in a deep breath cooling himself down, but mostly the pads of his hands, hoping he hadn't burned the blonde already, "come on, kid. Come on, kid." He urged as every moment ticked by agonizingly slowly.

What felt like hours passed before there was even a slight stir from the body, in the form of a long sigh. He blinked without opening his eyes, letting out a low grumble, starting to wake up. The blonde nuzzled against the warmth, then stiffened when that mesmerizing chuckle found its way to his ears. He was almost conscious at this point murmuring to let him go.

The red-head withdrew his hand and settled for wrapping them around Roxas's body to keep him still warm, "Relax kid. I'm preventing frostbite,

'_I won't hurt you, I promise.'_

Roxas began to squirm around, "let go. Get off. I don't want to do anything…" his eyes looked dead as they shot open, hurt fueling his fear. "Axel. Let go. get off!" he was panicking again now, heart hammering against his ribcage, feeling as if it beat any faster it would actually fracture them. Axel let the kid go watching how he inched away to the other side of the small truck, eyeing him and at the same time trying to escape again.

"Kid," Axel sighed, running his hands down his face, "you go back out there, you'll freeze to death, trust me… so just relax. I'm not… I'm not going to hurt you. I don't know what I did, but I'm not going to do it again." He feigned apathy. He placed a cigarette to his lips, and rolled down his window to blow the smoke outside. He noticed the blonde shiver.

"y-you… tr-tried to r-r-kiss Me." the "R" word hurt too much to think about, hurt too much to say, and possibly hurt far too much to hear. Axel groaned tilting his head back and whipped the sweat from his brow. The temperature in truck dying when he deemed Roxas warm enough to not have to keep it at an unholy temperature. Axel couldn't stand how hot it was. Roxas really did remind him of a scared little animal, and he shook his head. He was the reason this kid was shaking and pupils drawn up so small in fear.

"Damn, I'm sorry. Real fucking sorry." He discarded the half cigarette out the window and rolled it up, hands searching out his gloves on the dashboard.

"It's okay… I guess… I forgive you." The blonde sighed in defeat. _I either suck it up and stay, or I leave and die. I don't want to die… _ he gulped, frowning when his mouth tasted filthy, then a wave of disgust rolled over him and he gagged in remembrance. As soon as those words left his lips his head jerked up to see small flames lapping at the leather gloves gripped in Axel's hands.

'_I forgive you.'_

"Shit." The red-head let them drop, clenching his fists and trying to calm himself in order to smother the flames. Roxas's eyes grew huge at the sight of Axel's hands on fire, face completely calm, and the only emotion seemed to be anger written across the rest of his body, "shit. Shit." Then his blue eyes caught sight of the plain black barcode tattooed into his wrist. Axel grabbed for his gloves again, making quick work and slipping his hands into them, successfully smothering the fire, bits of smoke escaping the bottom.

"y-you… you're…" he tried to stutter out a response but he was too captivated by the sight.

"Yeah. Disgusting, I know. You can deal with it, or get the fuck out of my truck." His voice was on the defensive, spitting out acid, turning the key in the ignition and the car starting up, instead of just providing little to no heat. Not caring at this point if the blonde froze.

"n-no… bu-but. You-you're a-a-a No-Nobody ar-aren't y-you?" the question was something the blonde had never been able to ask, it was something he was taught _not_ to ask, because those people were dangerous, because those people would kill you in a heartbeat, because those people weren't people at all, they were less than human, and didn't have a heart. Those _things_, they weren't welcomed, and shouldn't be accepted; and those teachings… Roxas completely denied, and refused to learn. Axel seamed human enough. They all seemed human enough.

Axel scoffed, "no, because every day, you see a Somebody going around lighting fires with their bare hands." His point was emphasized with a roll of his eyes, "use your common sense, kid, what do you think?"

"So you _are_ a Nobody." He let out a laugh through his nose, face taking on a sense of realization, "and that's the reason you won't answer me about how you… hurt that man."

"Fuck. Don't you dare try to make me into a circus side show. That's the last fucking thing I need. I'm a damn human being and—" At this point Roxas was rattling off facts and statistics about them, going into detail about the properties and all sorts of things they could do, and their social status, and just a bunch of nonsense words that Axel didn't care to make sense of, but most likely already knew. "Put this in your mouth and shut up, kid." He shoved something in the blonde's face that looked quite a bit like a makeshift cigarette.

"b-but I don't smoke. I mean… I used to… but I don't anymore and…" before he could say another word it was placed on his lips and lit. He recoiled immediately after the first intake of whatever the hell it was supposed to be. "This is fucking awful. This is not a cigarette. What the hell is it?" he examined it again, and come to think of it. It didn't really look like one either.

Axel let out a gorgeous laugh that vibrated against the glass windows, "that's because it's not. It's pot." He started the car down the street, still laughing at the blonde's bewildered expression, before he gave in. Roxas would wrinkle his nose at the smell and the taste and letting out small coughs here and there when he forgot how to breathe… but then he felt nice. Really full and just… nice. He didn't say anything and just stared out the window, the last of the blunt hanging from his finger tips, before Axel took it from his and chucked it out the window. Roxas's head bobbed against the window before he finally fell asleep, murmuring about how he was hungry again. "That should hold you over for a while. I might be able to get some peace and quiet now." he sighed fiddling with the radio after a while, decidedly that after three days, he didn't like the silence. The stations came in staticy, but he was content with just listening to static fill the vehicle until he exited the town and pulled up to a gas station. His body disappeared into the gas station to pay for the gas in cash before returning to the blonde's side to fill the tank.

With a quick flip of his pinky the pump was filling his tank by itself, and he vaguely though about taking out another cigarette to smoke, but laughed when images of the whole place in flames fell across his mind. He spared a glance back at the blonde sleeping contently and rather cutely against the window.

_The small teen's face was pressed against the window his round cheek smashed against the glass, and long eye lashes closed over breathtakingly blue eyes. A small smile graced his soft full pink lips. The scruffy blanket pulled tightly around his thin bare shoulders as he slept, sighing occasionally in his sleep. He looked so peaceful, so innocent.  
And the red-head smiled down at the boy affectionately, 'you always look so cute when you're asleep, babe.' _

Axel grit his teeth together enraged at himself, fists held tight to his sides, "you're not a fucking kid anymore, Axel, don't fool yourself."

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Hmmm… what could this mean? Duh duh duh! And we keep on truckin'!

Okay, since I don't feel like this gives anything away, Axel was… not himself when he uhm… tried to seduce Roxas? Is that even what you call that? Nope. But anyway, I hope you all enjoyed and have a nice day and stuff and want to read more?

So don't be afraid to fav alert and review! They make me happy!

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Reviewers! :D

ewonsama: drugs. ._. He was doing drugs. Like not even kidding. And poor lil' Roxy's gotta do what he's gotta do! And thank you c:

Guest: yaay! That's my goal; to have people interested! Annnd let's see… I think that answered most of your questions, and the rest you'll just have to wait and see! (and Roxas is cold because his coat is thin and he's small and weak and it's like between ten and twenty degrees outside. Fahrenheit. I'd be more concerned why Axel isn't cold XD)

dutchess. farfie: fffft! Afghyj! Okay okay. I have words again XD thank you so much. That means a lot.


	4. Day 4

I'm not back. Not really. But I was depressed, and couldn't write _We Did Not Just Move Here_, so I took to this for the moment. Hope you enjoy this random update. I don't know when the next one will be. ^^''

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The rumbling of the rusting metal truck as it groaned, and the piercing light the sun gave off late in the afternoon awoke the blonde teen. He rubbed wearily at his eyes and shifted in his seat. The radio buzzed in the background, classical music interrupted with static and someone preaching from the bible. They were close to somewhere, wherever that was. Roxas tried to keep his eyes closed, but the light was burning purple and copper splotches into his eyelids, like shooting stars when he tried to concentrate on them.

Copper. Something about that color made him wonder, made him think of burnt out birthday candles and motor oil. He grumbled and clutched his stomach that was twisting up with hunger pains. When was the last time he ate? Drank anything? Why was his mouth so dry? Why did he feel so heavy? He blinked, long enough to decide that it was too bright to open his eyes. He chased the fleeting image of whirring white forest trees, and the blinding reflection of the snow away. Who the hell was he? Roxas tried to roll over on his side, pull up his blankets and curl in on himself and go back to sleep.

He mumbled, mouth sticky, "Hayner, give me my damn blanket." The chuckle that set atomic bombs off in the pit of his ever shrinking stomach, rang back in response. His eyes shot open, but he couldn't see anything, but a blinding red blur, set in slow motion.

"Kid, I'm no Hayner." the red-head grinned back, features illuminated by the sunlight, palling his skin and making every tendril of hair glow, like fire in the dead of night. Roxas jumped, backing away from the stranger, knocking his head against the hand bar falling off the top of the truck above him, he meant to scream for dear life, but when this person only laughed, and beat his head on the steering wheel and kept driving, his foggy brain decided that he was probably not a threat. "You're a lightweight, kid."

"Not a kid." He grumbled back, when his heart rate settled.

"Ah, for someone who nearly smoked themselves into a coma his first night with pot, you sure seem to be lively." The red-head didn't take his eyes off the road, his gloved fingers tapping on the steering wheel off beat with the classical music. He had a cigarette between his cherry stained lips, his window rolled up, rattling because of the harsh wind the whistled outside. The ashes were falling to the ground, embers sizzling when they hit his lap, like he was burning them. Roxas groggily started to remember who he was, where he was, and who this stranger, Axel, was.

The blonde looked down at his pale hands, dirt under his fingernails and calluses on the palms, with a scar brazen across the surface. He was shaking, maybe from fear, because Axel's ethereal eyes couldn't be trusted. He was wiry in the jittery dullness of him, but Roxas couldn't tell why he'd adapted such a feeling for him over night. Maybe because it had to be in the negatives inside, at least five degrees colder outside or maybe it was because the lack of food in his stomach had his blood sugar dangerously low. He drew in a deep breath. _I have to get used to it._ He watched Axel, without giving a response. Axel's chapped lips let the filter fall to the ground and one of his boots stomped it out.

The red-head's gaze slid over to the Blonde, and then back to the road, "I picked up chips this morning… they were god-awful. I'm not gunna eat them." he sounded disgusted. Roxas sat still for a moment, trying to tell the time from the little digital clock, but it kept blinking 3:26 am. And sputtering. His watch completely forgotten on his wrist, his voice rough lick sandpaper. "What time is it?"

"Three o'clock. You've been out all day. Thought you nearly died on me again." _Again? That's right. Axel saved me last night. After he… he..._ Tears sprouted to his eyes and made his ashy eyelashes sodden. Almost instantly they started to freeze, so he whipped them away, and reached to the dashboard, where the bag of ketchup flavored potato chips sat, half gone, next to forgotten cigarette stubs and bloodied napkins that made Roxas lurch for just a moment. He lowered his gaze to the chips as his mouth watered. He was starving, and those chips were the best things he'd ever had the pleasure of putting to his lips. He nearly choked on them with how fast he wolfed them down. He feared Axel might have stopped him at any moment, but Axel never did. His eyes stayed trained on the road, watching the mile markers pass with disinterest.

"Where are we?" Roxas rasped out, his throat coated in sleep and salt. He leant forward to fish out his half gone water bottle. Luckily it was still there, slightly chilly. He gulped it down and tossed it back to the ground empty. His mind was still swimming. A part of him kept saying how he was asleep in his collapsing bunk bed, with Hayner crammed next to him because there was never enough room for them, stealing all the ratty blankets that did little to ward off the cold in the winter, and wishing that someone, anyone would come and choose him for once instead of the toddlers. But the other part, the part dowsed in haze and low quality weed, kept saying how it was real, painfully real. And that everything happened.

"We're on our way to Wonerland. It'll take a few days to get there, so get comfy. Or don't. I don't give a shit, really." Axel shrugged and pulled out another cigarette, a puff oh air and tip glowed ember. Roxas watched on in slight amusement. Axel was an interesting creature. His lanky arm stretched behind him and banged a few time on the roof of the truck. Snow plopped down to the road and made the vehicle stop rattling so much. The windows shook and then went still; the radio came to the end of the composition and was taken over by static. "Eh, can't have it both ways. Quiet car, or a decent station." He went back to driving and Roxas, again leant forward in his seat, and pulled out a small thick book.

"Why do you smoke?" Roxas questioned innocently. The smell was suffocating him, but it kept him from frostbite. The red-head tenses, the flame of the cigarette sparking for half a second before returning to normal.

"We're not playing fifty questions again, kid. You keep quiet, and I'll keep quiet." Axel relaxed again, and Roxas returned to his book, bending the spine back and crinkling the corners as he read. His brows knitted together and eyes focused intently on the faded printed words on the page. "Where'd you get that from? You didn't have it before."

"What happened to not playing fifty questions?" Roxas's gaze never left the text, but he hesitated on turning the page.

The blonde couldn't see the smirk curling on the red-head's lips before it was replaced with a snarl, as if to chastise himself for smiling at the blonde in the first place. He growled out between sharp canines, "this is my damned car; I can do whatever the hell I want."

"I took it, while we were back in that place." He shrugged and took a deep breath, taking a long blink to refocus on the book.

"You have a nasty habit of stealing shit don't you?"

At this point, Roxas shut his book and slid it under his warn jean clad thighs, "I only take what I need." His speech was clipped, but his lips pursed together as if to say more, then he did, "anything and everything except money, never money." the blonde went back to reading his book. He hunched over, trying to keep the light out of his eyes, and squinting down at the page,

_and he gnawed on his lip nervously, rubbing the corner of the page he was going to flip, and jiggling his leg with the uneven grumbling of the powder blue truck, humming softly to the pop music of his choice playing mutely from the radio in the gently used vehicle. _

Axel's cigarette fell to his lap in a fiery blaze; he swerved across the lanes, nearly hitting the only other car on the road, cursing loudly. "Fuck!" he exclaimed loudly, holding his hands to his crotch to smother the growing flame. Roxas's head snapped up with a yelp, just in time to catch Axel raging in his seat, struggling with the fire on his jeans. The red-head franticly unbuckled his seat belt and fell into the door when the lock got caught, and wouldn't open. "Fuck! Fuck! These are my only pants!" he seethed, the flame finally dying. The old truck didn't take well to turning so quickly and promptly shut off near a guard rail on the side of the road. If it wasn't for its age, they would have tumbled over and down the steep hill, and be split open like rotten melons with a plastic fork. Axel knew this.

Roxas stared wide eyes, unaware of how close they were from dying. When Axel calmed down, Roxas still couldn't take his eyes off his lanky form. The same flannel hung loosely off his form, unbuttoned and jeans ready to fall off, if not for his jutting hip bones. His gloved hands tangled in the messy hair and tugged viciously for a few moments. He was clearly upset.

Roxas licked his lips, seeing his breath in the frigid air. A shiver wracked through his body and he wondered just how Axel, not a single trace of fat on his bones, managed to not freeze to death. His fingers kept place in the book even as Axel came back to the car, slammed the door shut, forcing a small squeak out of the blonde, and lifted the hood. Roxas returned to his book, hoping Axel's neurotic episode would dissipate.

Before long Axel approached his window, hood of the truck down, cigarette yet again dangling off his lips, and a small, almost unnoticeable grin on his face. His boney knuckles, cloaked in leather knocked on the blonde's window. When Roxas looked up, Axel motioned for him to roll down his window. The blonde dis as instructed, with not as much ease or finesse as he thought he would. The window felt as if it had been glued shut, and not used for many years. Crystallizing cobwebs and dust escaped when he manually rolled it down. "I was just thinking; when we pull into town, that we're gunna need some new clothes."

Roxas snorted, and watched Axel gracefully inhale and exhale perfect ringlets of smoke, that froze and dropped to the ground, "You really shouldn't enable people's bad habits, you know."

* * *

Money… uhm Munny feels so unbelievably wrong to write, and I tried, but I couldn't. So they are now using the US Dollar! Yay! okay not yay, but Whatever aha.

* * *

Ewonsama: you and your guessing aha. Just wait and see

Lisa: uhm… I'm sorry it upset you, but I've never seen and X-men movie before… so I don't see the need to put a disclaimer. I'm actually kind of down that there are so many similarities. ): and I'm hoping this turns out nothing like X-men.


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